Sweet child o' mine
by NihilisticAmbition313
Summary: Carly suffers a head injury and mentally reverts to the age of five. Freddie, Sam, and Spencer must learn how to handle a childlike Carly, and help her get her memories back at the same time.
1. Prologue

**Sweet child o' mine**

**by NihilisticAmbition313**

**Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly, and I certainly don't own the Seattle Mariners or Detroit Tigers**

**A/N: This fic is dedicated to user Boris Yeltsin, who gave me the basic idea for it. Thank you kindly, and I hope you like it.**

**...**

**Prologue**

**Freddie's view**

"Sam, I've already bought you a hot dog, a pulled pork sandwich, and a Philly cheese steak. The Mariners are making a small fortune off of me." I complained

"Better you than me. Now are you gonna buy me a gyro or what?"

Sam, Carly, and myself got tickets to a Mariners game from Spencer, who got them from Socko, who got them from God-knows-where. He and Socko couldn't come because they had "business" to attend to (I often wonder what is this business Spencer is always up to with Socko and his other friends), so he gave us the tickets.

The M's were facing the Detroit Tigers, and they were winning by a score of five runs to two at the bottom of the fifth inning. We had excellent seats, right along the left field base line. We were so close to the field that we could hear the chatter of the players, coaches, and umpires. It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon during our summer vacation. The temperature was about eighty degrees, and no humidity, perfect baseball weather.

Carly wasn't much of a sports fan, but she was into the game, cheering wildly whenever the Mariners scored a run or a base hit. She even bought a Mariners t-shirt from the gift shop and put it on for the game. Sam only seemed to be interested in trying every food item that Safeco Field had to offer, all on my dime of course. I knew she would pig out and I brought extra cash for that, but we were only halfway through the game and I was already halfway broke.

"Sam, you really should slow down. You're gonna make yourself sick." Carly advised her best friend

"I can't help it that ballpark food is so good."

"Ha, _any_ food is good to you." Carly chided

"True."

The next batter for the M's took the batter's box and waited for the pitch.

"Knock it out the park!" Carly yelled

The Tigers pitcher flung a fastball straight down the line, and the Mariners batter swung. He made contact, and...

"Oh my God!"

...Hit a foul line drive that smacked Carly square in the head!


	2. Friends, strangers

**Sweet child o' mine**

**by NihilisticAmbition313**

**Disclaimer: You know I don't own this.**

**...**

**#1-"Friends, strangers"**

**Freddie's view**

It was the sixth day after Carly was hit in the head by an errant foul ball at a Mariners game, and she was still lying unconscious in her bed at Seattle Children's Hospital. Sam and I were both visiting her on the late Monday afternoon, but only one of us were allowed in at a time. It was my turn to sit with her. I figured I'd just talk to her and hope that she could somehow hear me. If she did, she made no visible markings of it. She was still out cold after the accident.

It was the most horrific thing I'd ever seen in my life, and it all happened so fast. Carly had virtually no time to react. As fast as the batter swung is as fast as the ball came flying at her. She didn't go down at first though. She actually remained conscious for a few moments before we got to the hospital, but she zoned out before we got her there.

Where ever Spencer was, he had to have used a teleporter to get to the hospital. He was there in the emergency room before we even got Carly checked in, and the poor guy was a wreck. I felt sorry for him, because Carly's all he's got really.

The doctors managed to stabilize Carly, but they told us if we'd brought her in any later she could have internally bled to death (not a very comforting thought). She also had a huge lump on her head at the site of the impact, and it still hasn't gone down.

I was hoping, no, _praying_ she didn't have any brain damage. My mom works in a hospital and I've heard stories about brain damage and how it can totally mess up your life from her. I didn't want that for Carly. I just wanted her to be okay. I wanted her to wake up and be the same old Carly, my best friend.

I checked my watch and realized my turn was almost up. I took Carly's hand into mine and gently squeezed it.

"Wake up soon alright? We need you back, all of us."

I was about to let go when suddenly I felt her squeeze my hand in return!

"Mmmm..." she moaned

"C-Carly?"

"..."

My heart began racing with excitement! Carly was coming to!

**Sam's view**

I checked my watch and realized Fredward's turn was almost up. I was about to get up out of my hella-uncomfortable chair in the hallway when Freddie came bolting out of Carly's room.

"Sam, she's waking up!"

"She is!"

"Yeah!"

Oh my God, she's up!

"Doctor! Carly's waking up!" Freddie said to the first doctor he saw in passing, who luckily was Carly's doctor

"Is she?"

"Yeah! Come on!"

The doctor, a rather tall older man with glasses, followed Freddie and me into Carly's room. Sure enough, Carly's eyes were barely open but open all the same.

"She squeezed my hand and she said something. That means she's up right?"

"Possibly, but I'm going to need you kids to wait outside."

"Okay, but you'll tell us what's going on won't you?"

"As soon as I've had a chance to examine her. Please."

Me and Freddie reluctantly walked back out to the hallway.

"I hope this is for real, her waking up."

"You and me both...Oh, we should call Spencer."

"I don't know Freddie. We don't know if she's really up yet. Might not wanna get his hopes up for nothing."

"Oh, right."

The doctor, Dr. Pate, was taking forever to give Carly the once over. He finally came back out to us and we practically jumped him on sight.

"Is she awake?"

"Is she okay?"

Dr. Pate adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat.

"Your friend has regained consciousness and doesn't seem to have suffered any vision or hearing loss. However, I'm concerned about her mental state."

"Wait, her mental state? You mean she could be brain damaged?"

"Unfortunately, it is a possibility. Carly suffered a tremendous blow to the head, and it's very possible there may be trauma."

"Oh my God." I whispered

"What could happen to her?" Freddie asked

"I'm not certain young man, we'll have to wait and see."

"Can we go in and see her?"

"Hmm...Only one of you at a time, and keep it brief. Also, she's still somewhat out of it so please don't be too overbearing."

"Yes sir."

"Now if you'll excuse me I do need to contact her brother."

Dr. Pate went over to the nurses' station. Freddie and I looked at each other and smiled.

"She's up. She's gonna be okay." I said as I felt a lump form in my throat

"Yeah, that's out girl. Go on in."

"Okay."

I slowly walked into Carly's room and sat beside her in yet another uncomfortable chair. Carly was clearly awake, but a little spacey.

"Hey Carls. Welcome back girl." I said as softly as I could without whispering

"..."

"You really had us worried. Thank God you're back with us."

My main girl slowly rolled her head over to face me. I smiled at her, but she had a look of total confusion on her face.

"...Who are you?" she asked weakly

"What...? Carls, it's _me_ silly."

"...Don't...know you..."

"Carly, it's me. Sam."

"Stranger...No talking to strangers...Mom says..."

Stranger? I'm no stranger, I'm her best friend. How could she not recognize me?

"Um...No, I'm not a stranger. I'm your best friend."

"No...Wendy is my best friend..."

"...Carly, this isn't funny anymore."

"...Go 'way, stranger."

I stared at Carly in utter disbelief. She didn't recognize me, _me_. I'm her ace, how could she...

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks; She'd suffered brain damage after all. She had amnesia.

I stood up and began crying as I ran out of the room...

**Freddie's view**

Sam came out of Carly's room...crying?

"Sam? What's wrong?"

"She doesn't remember me." Sam wept

"What?"

"She doesn't...She thinks I'm a stranger."

"No, that can't be right."

"_You_ go in there then!"

I took Sam up on that idea, confident that Carly would remember me.

"Hey good lookin'." I said as I took a seat beside Carly

"...You're a stranger too. Go 'way."

"Um...Actually, I'm not a stranger.

"Yes huh."

"No...Carly, I'm your friend."

"Nope..."

"It's me, Freddie."

"Freddie? That's stupid."

"...Carly, you really don't remember me?"

"No..."

Oh my God...Carly doesn't remember me, _or_ Sam.

"Is that other girl okay? I made her cry."

"Sam? Y-Yeah, she's okay."

"She said she was my best friend, but that's a lie. Wendy's my best friend."

"Well...Sam is your best friend too, you just don't remember."

"...Where's my mom and dad?" Carly asked, completely disregarding my comment

"Uh..."

Shoot. How was I supposed to answer that? Her parents were dead...

"Um...Spencer's coming to see you. You remember your brother don't you?"

"Spencie's coming?"

"Yeah, he's coming."

"When?"

"Soon, very soon."

"I love my big brother. He's nice to me." Carly said and grinned

"Yeah, he's very nice to you."

"Do _you_ have a big brother?"

"Me? No, I don't have _any_ siblings."

"What's a siblee?"

"Oh, it's a brother or sister."

"Oh...I'm sleepy..."

I watched as Carly closed her eyes. I couldn't believe what I was seeing with my own eyes though. Carly had seemingly reverted back to being a child...

**A/N: Bear in mind that this story isn't about the medical specifics of brain injury and amnesia. I may be stretching it a bit as far as realism, but remember this is about Carly's reversion to her childhood, not **_**how**_** it happened or how plausible it may be. In other words, just frickin' go with it.**


End file.
